Cage & Aviary Birds

Cage & Aviary Birds is written by bird experts for bird fanciers and is packed with club, show and bird related news, advice, birds for sale and comment. Established in 1902, Cage & Aviary Birds provides a wealth of practical advice and tips from the top names in the bird world, plus opinion, controversy, species and hobbyist profiles and nostalgia.

Strength in numbers

New stamps celebrate Alderney's lovely birds

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

North and South see worrying numbers of ‘seabird wrecks’

£3m boost for New Island birdlife thanks to a UK Gov grant scheme

THE CANARY COLUMN

Editor's Letter

DEFRA latest

Cage & Aviary Birds

A catch-up with Harry Hockaday • HARRY HOCKADAY is the chairman of the Budgerigar Society, and is known world-wide for breeding and exhibiting top-quality budgerigars. Exhibition budgerigar champion and judge SAM WILDES recently conducted an extended interview with him, and in this first instalment he asks about Harry's background in the hobby and his current stud

Q&A: violet-ears • CHRIS GREEN answers questions from a reader who has kept Australian finches for a couple of seasons and now has the opportunity to buy two pairs of violet-eared waxbills. What should they know before they commit to bringing the new pairs into the birdroom?

It's testosterone season! • For cock Border canaries, the intensifying of breeding condition can spark squabbles with other males, so Andy's watching closely to step in as peacemaker if necessary

Hand-rearing the Bali myna • Immensely challenging, and yet potentially with immense rewards: that's how GARY BRALSFORD would sum up the reality of raising this world-famous species in captivity. One of the few aviculturists to have succeeded is the eminent Dutch breeder LOU MEGENS, who describes his epic efforts below

Strategy for breeding: Part 2 • Following his previous article two weeks ago, Fife canary maestro TERRY KELLY explains exactly how keeping relevant records is a cornerstone of his breeding strategy

My epic journey across three shows • ‘Every journey has its challenges,’ says MIKE FRAHER. ‘But last year mine came with feathers, fierce competition and a storm that seemed determined to throw me off course! What started as a simple judging weekend turned into a test of resilience, friendship and passion for the Norwich canary. From Cork's warm embrace to Walsall's record-breaking spectacle, and finally the Southern National, I discovered that behind every bird is a story, and behind every show is a community that makes this hobby truly extraordinary’

New pairings in 2026 • As TONY EDWARDS reminds us, the first pairings-up that you make aren't set in stone, to be maintained for the whole season. Depending on the first-round results, changes may be called for – and these must be planned as meticulously as the original decisions. Here he summarises his approach so far

More room means less work • That's DAVE BROWN's plan, anyway, as he explains how the current makeover of his two sheds will – if all goes well – bring benefits that other fanciers might consider, too

READERS’ GALLERY

Club News • Welcome to the club and show pages – the bit that's all about you

Obituary

Club roundup • Show reports, dates, club notices

It was only a year ago…

What's on

Bird gathering licences: an at-a-glance guide • Although the changes to DEFRA's licences for bird gatherings were introduced last December, the different conditions are still generating confusion in the fancy. Organisers of both sales and shows need to have the differences clear in their mind. PHIL MUMFORD, organiser of the Cambridge Bird Sale (www.cambirdsale.co.uk), has provided this chart for easy...